Sunday, June 21, 2009

Dophins, bigots and rum

The dolphin that played with our group's name was Echo. He posed with everyone so the photographer could get shots like this. I'm not sure what the employees thought our relationship was, but we had taken our rings off (for fear of losing them at the water park) so they probably assumed we were just friends. Earlier on the ship we were sitting outside on Lido deck having coffee, or perhaps it was a bloody mary, when an elderly man approached us and asked if we were cousins. I had no qualms informing him that we were in fact married. The old man then said promptly, "God says marriage is between one man and one woman." I raised my eyebrows and said, "Wow, you know what God says!" Then he paused for a moment and said, "You know I never would have known. And anyway if you really were married, (I guess it was easier for him to process believing we were pulling his leg) I'd tell you that in Romans ......" He was quoting the Bible, but I paid no attention. When he was done with the quote he left the table. We saw him a few other times around the ship but he never accosted us again.

We went to a party last night for Emily's 28th birthday. Everyone we told about our relationship at that party was excited and impressed. It's not like we go around with a bullhorn announcing it to people, but it's still a bit of a novelty to some, so the news spreads around the party. The reaction from the younger generation is more along the lines of, "That is SO cool." I hate to say it, but when are the curmudgeons going to leave us? I can't say I'll be all that sorry because when they do, gay marriage will be as ordinary as a bi-racial one. Above you see one of the hors d'oeuvres that was served. It was a clever paté chinois (shepherd's pie) made on a slice of salami. I thought they were pretty neat looking.

Here we are with the birthday girl. It depressed me to realize that technically I'm old enough to be her father. We had way too much to drink though and this morning my head is pounding. They made mojitos and though I detest rum, it is so perfectly disguised by the mint and sugar, I had several. We've had two bottles of rum sitting on the counter for YEARS (both gifts) and we never touch it, but now that I know the secret, look out.

20 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Romans was written by Paul who often expressed his strange opinions such as "women should keep silent in curch" and "Drink no water but a little wine for the stomachs sake" God is love and he wants us to find love among his children. Black, White, Yellow, Red, GAy, straight or whatever we are all his children.

When I talk about you, I always say "My friend Torn and his husband Serge..." and I've caused a few chins to drop. When I see those chins drop, I want to put a nice little dog turd right on their tongues. People are so lame, when will they learn that happiness is hard enough to find in this world...and don't even get me started on that whole "it's in the Bible" thing. Ugh!The picture with Echo is fabulous! You should frame it and hang it up on a "Travel Wall" or something. :o)

We do go around with a bullhorn announcing it to people, and why shouldn't we? We're a happily married couple and that's something I like to celebrate and share as much as I can because I'm proud of my man and the relationship we've built...just like every other happily married couple in the world. In a world of divorces, multiple marriages, sham marriages and unhappy couples, I think it is something to be announced and shared.

I'm just saying.

As far as the fuckwad, you were more civil and tolerant than I would have been. I would have reported him for harrassment of a fellow passenger.

Bah. I am so over the Bible thumpers, but sometimes it can be fun to ask them questions like, if everybody came from Adam and Eve and they only had sons, how did their kids have kids? Or the whole Tower of Babel thing: Do you honestly believe, like the ancient Babylonians, that the sky is a big dome and Heaven is on the other side of it if you could just Start throwing stuff like that at them, then sit back and watch the wheels spin.

As for rum, that was my first serious drunk with hangover on my 18th birthday. It was years before I could even stomach the smell of it again.

Okay, I want that piture developed and given to me for my birthday. I LOVE it. The best one of you two yet.

And there's nothing wrong with surprise at a gay couple being married; it's still something new to a lot of people. It's when some old asshole (reminds me, I should call my dad for Father's Day), has the gall to tell a stranger what God says.

Fuck.

I loved your comment back to him by the way.

And then you've got your commentors making the same judgemental comments about Church. As if all churches believe what that moron believes.

F***ing asshole. Pardon my language, but that's all I can think of that guy. What other opinions does he feel he can accost other people with impunity?

When Paul wrote Romans, it was quite common—even expected—for young Roman students to have a sexual relationship with their mentors, whether they wanted one or not. Paul created a word to describe an act of pederasty. He said nothing about loving same-sex relationships. (And for those who cry out that he condemned "homosexuality," the word didn't even exist until 1896.)

If you really want to look at the Bible literally, you have to look at the original language, its context, and the author's intent. And if my church listened to all that Paul wrote, I would be out of a job. Paul wrote opinions, not commandments.

You two make such a cute couple. I'm thrilled that you're married. I'm even more thrilled that you are able to marry. I agree, once the youngsters of today get into positions of leadership, and the codgers die off, things should get much better for gay rights. I hope so, anyway. And I vote!

Rum and me, we'z gud friends. A little in some cola, yum! Dribbled into eggnog, OMG!! I haven't had a mojito, though. I don't get out much.

Assuming Emily's birthday party was local (Canada) where same sex marriage has been legal for years, I guess I'm a little surprised that your marriage was fodder for party talk at all. Nonetheless, I'm proud to have you two representin' the rest of us (non-legally) married gays.